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A large volume of hazardous materials is transported to and <br />through the county by railroad and highway, air, water, and <br />pipeline daily. Within Indian River County, there are a number <br />of both public and private fixed facilities, which produce or use <br />hazardous materials. Coordinating procedures for hazardous <br />material response are found within the county's Emergency <br />Plan for Hazardous Materials. <br />In addition to the county's Emergency Plan for Hazardous <br />Materials, Local Emergency Planning Committee officials have <br />prepared a plan for use in responding to and recovering from a <br />release of hazardous or toxic materials. This plan addresses <br />the range of potential emergency situations and the <br />appropriate measures to be implemented to minimize <br />exposure through inhalation, ingestion, or direct exposure <br />(Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council). <br />Mishandling and improper disposal or storage of medical <br />wastes and low-level radioactive projects from medical use are <br />also a hazard to Indian River County. For example, a few <br />years ago an incident occurred in New Jersey when improper <br />disposal of medical wastes resulted in some of the used <br />projects ending up on Atlantic Ocean beaches. <br />d. Transportation System Accidents. <br />Florida has a large transportation network consisting of major <br />highways, airports, marine ports, and passenger railroads. <br />The heavily populated areas of Indian River County are <br />particularly vulnerable to serious accidents, which are capable <br />of producing mass casualties. With the linear configuration of <br />several major highways in Indian River County, such as <br />interstate highways and the Florida Turnpike, major <br />transportation accidents could occur in a relatively rural area, <br />severely stressing the capabilities of local resources to <br />respond effectively. A recent notorious example is the crash in <br />the Everglades of Value Jet Flight 597 on May 11, 1996, which <br />resulted in 109 fatalities and a cost of millions of dollars, <br />severely taxing the financial and public safety resources of <br />Dade County (Florida Department of Community Affairs, <br />1998). Similarly, a major transportation accident could involve <br />a large number of tourists and visitors from other countries, <br />given Florida's popularity as a vacation destination, further <br />Indian River County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Basic Page 31 <br />